Barrier Four A new type of Roblox game has emerged: animated shows on Netflix that feature playable scenes where the show becomes a video game, called “playable media.”
It’s like a playable TV show or movie, and Barrier Four started with a game based on the Cobra Kai TV show and the Spellbound movie. It was a form of media that had never existed before. For example, the Cobra Kai game takes place in the middle of Animated TV episodes When the whole dojo was fighting
It’s a new kind of game from veteran Roblox developer Barrier Four, based in Pendleton, Indiana, said Jonathan Millar, Barrier Four’s chief marketing officer, in an interview with GamesBeat.
“We think of it as a new medium,” Millar said. “It’s a playable medium.”
Barrier Four and Netflix are joining forces to create a new experience on the Roblox platform, bringing players closer than ever to the worlds of Cobra Kai and Spellbound. In this new format, Roblox players will engage in fully interactive scenes. and can be played directly from both universes.
From these experiences Players will be transported to two different worlds within Netflix’s Roblox hub, Nextworld, where they will step into enchanted musical scenes from Spellbound and relive iconic moments from the film.
A few weeks later Players will immerse themselves in intense martial arts action as Robbie from Cobra Kai joins teammate Miyagi-do in scenes recreated from the show.
These two experiences showcase the perfect blend of games and media. This is achieved through advanced animations and proprietary technology created entirely within Roblox.
Unique format created for Netflix
There are many experiences on Roblox — six million, in fact. But this is a unique opportunity for Netflix to use the novelty of “Playable media” to take advantage of its position in both gaming and video entertainment
It also allows Netflix, through Nextworld, to reach 88.9 million daily users on Roblox, attracting a generation that is difficult to reach any other way. Netflix has created many mobile gaming experiences, but its Barrier Four approach is It entered the realm of helping Netflix do what other companies couldn’t – quickly making games out of streaming shows at a time when they were actually popular.
Kai cobra experience
In a way never before seen, Roblox players will be immersed in interactive and playable scenes straight from the hit Netflix series, experiencing the action and thrills firsthand. The battle scenes last about a minute or so in playable form. But it’s understandable.
In this creative experience Players will take on the role of Robbie and fight alongside teammate Miyagi-do in one of the most adrenaline-pumping scenes from Cobra Kai. This one-on-one entertainment mirrors the Netflix original, offering fans Experience intense and immersive martial arts from within Nextworld, the Netflix hub within Roblox, through cutting-edge, exclusive animation.
Technology The scenes have been modified and designed entirely within Roblox, seamlessly blending the boundaries of gaming and media.
It’s a short fight scene. But can be replayed and proves the smooth transition from animation to game.
“The Cobra Kai set is like streaming television. Fighting to celebrate intellectual property,” Millar said.
For Barrier Four, working with Netflix on this project was a dream, Millar said. They were able to take Cobra Kai to a new level of fan engagement, making ‘Playable Media’ the future of their go-to-market strategy.
In this case, it’s just a moment recorded in a playable format, but in the future you can imagine many different scenes being playable, allowing players to play from one scene to the next. Either in animated sequences or playable sequences.
So far it’s still an experiment. But it could lead to more experimentation if successful.
“From a talent perspective We could do a whole movie if we wanted to. and put in 20 gameplay elements,” Millar said. “But I think the sweet spot for the studio would be anywhere from 30 seconds to five minutes.”
He added: “I think it will be a balance, depending on how much the IP wants people to watch? How many people do you want to play? And what is the space between each of those elements? Watch enough, play enough, and you can keep going.”
spell
Spellbound is an animated musical adventure starring Rachel Ziegler, John Lithgow, Jennifer Lewis, Nicole Kidman, and Javier Bardem, releasing November 22 only on Netflix. Directed by Vicki Jenson.
The Pixar-like animated film is about a young girl named Elian from the magical world of Lumbria. She must break the spell that split her kingdom in two and turned her parents into monsters.
This work took a few months to complete on both projects. The mission is to transform a scene into a playable format. In Spellbound’s case, the idea is to transport you into the imaginary world of the film. And it gives you a feel for what it’s like to be there. You can also play a game similar to Guitar Hero, where you have to click or tap to read notes as they move quickly.
“What we’ve done here is we’ve done something very similar to Cobra Kai, but it’s a very different experience,” Millar said. “You start in the Nextworld experience from Netflix on Roblox and then you enter the scene. this”
The game has over 100 characters to move around. That makes it more complicated than the Cobra Kai experience, he said.
“This takes the project to another level,” he said. “We’re pushing memory management on Roblox” with a new level of realism.
This scene replicates 30 seconds of the movie and provides approximately five minutes of gameplay for players who want to relive the experience. You can play on easy, medium or hard levels and keep playing to improve your score. It’s also a very rewarding form of gameplay. When you’re done You will be rewarded with user-generated content.
“Players will receive rewards and incentives through IP-specific UGC, so it’s not just you.
From Roblox Medium, you will receive media IP as a reward. And you get to sing along and connect with the IP as a whole, so it has a different vibe than Cobra Kai,” Millar said.
These experiences signaled a major shift in media. It combines cinematic storytelling with the nature of gameplay in an unprecedented way. As cross-media collaboration gains momentum—through in-game billboards Video integration and branded pop-ups—this collaboration is breaking new ground.
For the first time, scenes from both movies and TV shows have been translated into 1:1 playable experiences within Roblox.
This goes beyond traditional cross-media. By fusing the immersive aspects of games with the storytelling depth of streaming media, Barrier Four is making the statement. “Playable media” This isn’t just about watching the story unfold. But it’s also about play.
The future of market entry strategies
While various brands Still exploring new channels To engage with its audience, Barrier Four is setting a new precedent.
Millar said this experience marks the beginning of a new chapter in how audiences interact with media. It combines the best of both worlds: games and cinematic storytelling. Create deeper connections and memorable moments for fans.
“This is exciting because this is Netflix’s go-to-market strategy for both streaming TV and for new movies.” So we’ve got a really cool use case. Two different cases,” Millar said.
Play now
Celebrate the launch of Spellbound and experience this unique experience from inside Netflix’s Nextworld.
Barrier Four is a cutting-edge animation studio born on Roblox that specializes in creating high-performing campaigns on the Roblox platform. With more than 150 brand partners and an impressive 11 billion game views, the company It is revolutionizing the industry through disruptive solutions that drive engagement and growth.
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